Andiron set



March 17, 1964 G. E. WISE. 3,1 5, 90

' ANDIRON SET Filed De'c. -19. 1960 WVE/V'TOR United States Patent 3,125,090 ANDIRON SET Glenn E. Wise, 501 13th St. NW., Washington, 4, D.C. Filed Dec. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 76,913 3 Claims. (Cl. 126-164) This invention relates to a device for supporting logs, or the like, on a fireplace hearth so that they may be burned, and, more particularly, to a novel andiron set wherein a log-supporting member is pivoted to a mounting member in such manner that it may be swung upwardly from its operative position to an inoperative position when the fireplace hearth is to be cleaned. My andiron set also includes means for retaining the log-supporting member in its upward, inoperative position until a user desires to return it to its operative position.

. The usual two, free-standing andirons used to support logs for burning in a fireplace present a problem when it comes time to clean the ashes from the hearth. During cleaning, the andirons must either be removed from the hearth altogether, or they must be continually moved around as the cleaning operation is performed. No matter which of the aforementioned methods is used, a person cleaning the hearth runs the risk of dirtying his hands or clothing, and if he removes the andirons from the hearth altogether, he runs the risk of scattering soot and ashes on the adjacent rugs or floor. One object of my invention is to provide an andiron set having log-supporting means which may be swung out of the way above the hearth when the hearth is to be cleaned.

Another object of my invention is to provide an and iron set which may be firmly attached to a fireplace without permanently marring the fireplace in any Way.

Another object of my invention is to provide an andiron set with means for supporting a fire screen.

Other objects will be apparent from the remainder of the specification and from the drawings.

In the drawings which form a part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of my invention shown mounted in operative position in a conventional fireplace;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1; and showing my log-supporting member in raised position in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1, but showing a portion of the threaded stem of one of my lintel-engaging elements in full; and,

FIGURE 4 is a three-dimensional view showing a hook I employ in my invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawings by reference numerals, my andiron set is seen positioned in the combustion chamber of a conventional fireplace and above the fireplaces hearth 4 and it includes a logsupporting member, designated generally by 5, a mounting member, designated generally by 6, and a pair of identical 1intelengaging extension elements, designated generally by 7 and 8. Numerals 9, 10, and 11 denote the rear and side walls, respectively, of the combustion chamber of the fireplace, and 12 is the fireplaces front wall in which the usual opening 13 is formed. 14 is a flue, and 1S and 16 are portions of a room wall adjacent the fireplace. 17 is an angle iron lintel used to support the masonry above opening 13. As mentioned previously, the fireplace is conventional and is detailed only to provide a setting for my invention.

The log-supporting member 5, more particularly, is U-shaped in plan, and is comprised of two, spaced, vertically oriented front posts 18 and 19, from the lower, rear side of each of which extends an integral, horizontally oriented, log-carrying portion, such as 20. The logcarrying portions are joined at their rear ends by means of a cross piece 21. This cross piece has round pivot pins 3,1253% Patented Mar. 17., 1964 22 and 123 (seen in dotted lines in FIGURE 1), extending from each of its ends for a purpose to be described shortly. A hole, such as 24, is drilled horizontally through the top of each post, and the free ends of triangleshaped split rings 25 and 26 are entered into each end of these holes, thus pivotally mounting the rings to the post.

The mounting member 6, more particularly, is H- shaped in front elevation and is composed of two boomerang-shaped side pieces 27 and 28 integrally joined together by a horizontally oriented cross piece 29. The lower leg of each side piece has a hole drilled through it (not shown), and these holes provide bearings in which pins 22 and 23 fit. By this pin and hole arrangement the log-supporting member 5 is pivotally fastened to the mounting member 6. The upper leg of each side piece has a hole such as 30, FIGURE 3, drilled into the end thereof for a purpose to be described shortly, and the upper leg of one of the side pieces has an aperture such as 31 drilled horizontally through it. This aperture 31 is provided to receive the offset shank 32 of a generally J-shaped hook 33 which is shown in its use position in FIGURES 1 and 2, and shown separately in FIGURE 4. A head portion 34 on the end of shank 32 prevents the hook from being withdrawn from aperture 31, and the shank is slightly smaller than the aperture 31 so that the hook can pivot relative to the side member 28. The hook 33 is provided to engage with ring 26, as seen in FIGURE 2, so as to hold the log-supporting member in its raised, or inoperative position.

In order to fixedly mount the mounting member 6 within the combustion chamber of a fireplace, I provide the identical lintel-engaging elements 7 and 8. These elements, more particularly, each have a body portion which is L-shaped in side elevation, the L being formed by a vertical leg 35 and a horizontal leg 36. The front face of each vertical leg is designed to bear against the rear face of a fireplace lintel, as seen in FIGURE 2, and the upper face of each horizontal leg is designed to bear against the lowermost face of said lintel. Each horizontal leg may be hollowed out as at 37, thus forming sockets into which cooperating tabs on an associated fire screen (not shown), may be fitted to support such a screen from my andiron set. Aligned holes 38 and 39 are drilled laterally through the side walls of each hollow leg 36 so that a bolt or pin may be passed through these holes and through the aforementioned tabs to secure the fire screen to my mounting member. Slanting downwardly from the rear side of each body portion is an integral stem 40, the lower end of which is threaded, as at 41. On the threaded portion of each stem is mounted a nut 42.

From FIGURES 1 and 2 it should be apparent how my andiron set is wedgingly fixed between the lintel and rear wall-hearth corner of a fireplace. To remove my invention from within the fireplace, the nuts 42 must be backed off. Then the threaded stems 40 can be pushed farther into the unthreaded holes 30, and my entire andiron set may be withdrawn from the combustion chamber. Installation would require the same steps in reverse order.

When my device is installed in a fireplace and a person desires to clean the ashes from the hearth, he simply lifts the front end of the log-supporting member 5 and enters hook 33 through ring 26. The log-supporting member is now held up out of the way and he may clean the fireplace. To lower member 5 the user merely releases the hook from the ring and lowers the front end of member 5.

It is obvious that changes might be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, I could replace member 5 by a fuel holding grate or basket which could also be similarly pivoted to member 6. It is also obvious that other types of extension means might be used in place of my assemblies 7 and 8 in order to adapt my invention to a variety of types and sizes of fireplaces.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An andiron device of the character described comprising: upwardly and forwardly inclined mounting means having an upper end and a lower end, and adapted to extend and be compressively fixed between the lintel and the corner formed at the juncture of the rear Wall and the hearth of a fireplace, one end of said mounting means including means for adjusting the distance between said upper end and said lower end whereby said mounting means are adapted to be compressively fixed in fireplaces of various sizes; means for supporting fuel and adapted to be positioned above said hearth; and pivot means having a generally horizontal pivot axis swingably joining said fuel-supporting means to said mounting means.

2. An andiron device of the character described for use with a fireplace of the type having a front wall including a rear surface, an opening in said wall having a substantially horizontally oriented top boundary formed by a portion of said wall, a first corner formed by the intersection of said surface and said portion, and a second corner located below and rearwardly of said first corner formed by a juncture of a horizontal hearth and an upstanding rear wall comprising: fuel-supporting means having opposite ends, adapted to overlie and have one end supported on said hearth; a pair of upwardly and forwardly inclined spaced-apart elongated mounting means, each having an upper end and a lower end, and adapted to be compressively fixed between said first and second corners, corresponding ends of each of said mounting means including means for rendering each of said mounting means extensible whereby said andiron device is adaptable for use with fireplaces of various sizes; and pivot means having a generally horizontal pivot axis joining the end of said fuel-supporting means opposite said one end to said mounting means.

3. The combination of claim 1, including cooperable means on said fuel-supporting means and said mounting means for supporting said one end of said fuel supporting means in a raised position wherein said one end may be spaced above said hearth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,360 Bayne et al June 28, 1887 884,615 Salter Apr. 14, 1908 1,521,204 Rollings Dec. 30, 1924 2,313,496 Adams Mar. 9, 1943 2,629,315 Schaar Feb. 24, 1953 2,843,109 Chapla July 15, 1958 2,941,591 Meyer June 21, 1960 2,960,979 Stone Nov. 22, 1960 

1. AN ANDIRON DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING: UPWARDLY AND FORWARDLY INCLINED MOUNTING MEANS HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END, AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND AND BE COMPRESSIVELY FIXED BETWEEN THE LINTEL AND THE CORNER FORMED AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE REAR WALL AND THE HEARTH OF A FIREPLACE, ONE END OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID UPPER END AND SAID LOWER END WHEREBY SAID MOUNTING MEANS ARE ADAPTED TO BE COMPRESSIVELY FIXED IN FIREPLACES OF VARIOUS SIZES; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING FUEL AND ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ABOVE SAID HEARTH; AND PIVOT MEANS HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PIVOT AXIS SWINGABLY JOINING SAID FUEL-SUPPORTING MEANS TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS. 